Sense Launches Volpit Platform

Owners of new investment platform are youngest to gain full authorisation from the FCA and aims to raise £4.5m for SMEs in its first year.

Volpit, the UK’s new startup investment platform has officially launched today. It now holds the crown as the youngest-owned crowdfunding platform to gain full authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

By law, businesses can only conduct regulated financial service activities in the UK if they are authorised by the FCA. Securing authorisation can be a very arduous and long-winded process, which is why only three of Volpit’s competitors have managed to achieve it (CrowdCube, Seedrs and Syndicate Room). However, Volpit brings a fresh perspective to the marketplace, giving a competitive edge over its rivals, who are owned by people twice their age.

The two tech-savvy co-founders of Volpit, Patrick O’Flaherty (24) and Simon Oberman (22), successfully created the platform on a mere quarter of the cost of their competitors, by smartly investing in innovative technology. They kick-started the business with over 1,400 business startups and investors already, with more than 1,000 expected to join by the end of the month. Some of the startups already registered on the platform include Dubble Me, Freefold, Gobbledy Juice, Film Co, Chinofy and Trabblr.

A further 250 startups are expected to join Volpit over the next 12 months, and approximately 30 of those businesses will be supported to raise an average of £150,000. The platform has integrated a significant feature, which surpasses its competitors by far – the innovative and interactive Pitch Builder™. It enables early entrepreneurs who may have never written a business plan before, to create one by simply answering a series of simple questions. The pitch is then presented in a standardised and interactive framework. Volpit aims to streamline the entire fundraising process and all legal agreements online, saving both the investors and startups time and money.

With only three other investment crowdfunding platforms in the industry authorised and regulated by the FCA, the Volpit team is celebrating its success with an official launch dinner on Thursday 26th June at their new office in Dalston. Volpit is on a mission to raise £4.5m for SMEs in its first year.

Patrick O’Flaherty, Co-founder of Volpit comments on their achievement:“Building Volpit and the legal and regulatory framework that surrounds it, has been challenging. We have invested extensively in the technology of the platform, with the aim to make the search for investment simple and smart for both investors and entrepreneurs.

“We are excited to officially launch and support startups across the UK in their search for the right investors. We are working hard to attract game-changing startups to the platform."

Sense can do what others can't

We always feel like we're in safe hands with Sense. The team comes up with creative, but simple campaign ideas that work. It's important that we always follow the rules of the FCA, and Sense has a way of creating cut-through when others just don't know how.

Simon Oberman Volpit

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